2.2 The National Waste Balance

A national waste balance will document the flow and quantities of waste from production through to transport, treatment and disposal. The national waste balance will model the extent to which waste is re-used and recycled within each of these streams, and enable assessment of the potential for further waste reduction, re-use and recycling. The model will be based on existing waste information systems and strategy, as well as inputs obtained from industry, including the recycling industry, and cross-referenced with other data sources such as disposal sites. Estimates of illegal dumping and disposal will also be extrapolated from existing data sources including census data and the recent nationwide assessment of the status of landfills.